This is the cbs evening news with scott pelley. Reporting tonight from washington. Mr. Trumps own Justice Department appointing a special counsel to investigate. Margaret brennan is at the white house. There was no collusion, and everybody, even my enemies, have said, there is no collusion. Reporter President Trump said the appointment of special Counsel Robert Mueller to probe Russian Election meddling is dividing the country. Well, i respect the move, but the entire thing has been a witchhunt, and there is no collusion between certainly myself and my campaign, but i can only speak for myself and the russians zero. Reporter the president strongly denied interfering with the f. B. I. s investigation. Did you at any time urge former f. B. I. Director james comey in any way, shape, or form to clez or to back down the investigation into Michael Flynn . And also no. No. Next question. Reporter and mr. Trump dismissed democrats claims that he may have obstructed justice. I think its everybody thinks so. Reporter despite saying last week that he had decided to fire comey before he met with attorney general Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein, today the president said he acted in part on rosensteins recommendation. I also got a very, very strong recommendation, as you know, from the Deputy Attorney general, Rod Rosenstein. But when i made that decision, i actually thought that it would be a bipartisan decision. Reporter but behind closed doors on capitol hill, rosenstein briefed senators on his version of events, including when he wrote a scathing memo about comeys conduct. Democrat claire mccaskill. He did acknowledge that he learned comey would be removed prior to him writing his memo. Reporter today President Trump also said that former democratic senator Joe Lieberman is a leading candidate to head the f. B. I. Scott, sources also say that President Trump is so frustrated with the fallout from shakeup of his senior staff. Pelley margaret brennan, thanks. The special counsel appointed to investigate is former f. B. I. Director Robert Mueller, who worked under both republican and democratic administrations. Mueller will act in the role of a prosecutor with the power to issue subpoenas and empanel his own grand jury. Jeff pegues has new develops now in the russia case. Reporter sources say individuals connected to the Trump Campaign may have been coordinating with the russians as far back as april 2016. Thats seven months before the president ial election. A former u. S. Government official tells cbs news, you could see the hallmarks throughout, including conversations picked up by electronic intercepts. Some of the contacts appear to be business related or innocuous, but sources tell cbs news investigators also discovered multiple contacts that were cause for concern. The f. B. I. Is paul manafort, Foreign Policy adviser carter page, and the former National Security adviser Michael Flynn. But it is unclear if there are other Trump Associates under investigation. Flynn joined the Trump Campaign in february of 2016, a threestar general, he had previously headed the Defense Intelligence agency but was fired by president obama. Friend flynn was selected as mr. Trumps National Security adviser shortly after the election. The u. S. Intelligence community became especially concerned during the transition that Sensitive Information being provided to the trump team could be passed on to the russians. Flynn was also fired by President Trump just 24 days into his term for lying to Vice President pence about his contacts with Russian Ambassador sergey kislyak. Former director of National IntelligenceJames Clapper said flynn changed after leaving the military. What do you think changed i dont know. That could be. Im speculating. I really dont know whether he just became angry about it. I dont know. Reporter but there was something changed . Well, it appeared to me, yes. Reporter russia was looking for relief from sanctions imposed by the obama administration, and investigators want to know if any Trump Associates made any promises. But, scott, more than 100 days into his term, President Trump has not removed any sanctions. Pelley jeff pegues, thanks. Jan crawford has more now on the special counsel. We had total independence, and thats what the special counsel is. Reporter former republican senator John Danforth was the last special counsel to investigate possible wrongdoing by the executive branch. In 2000 he cleared the Clinton Administration in the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian compound near waco, texas. The American People should be going to be an investigation that will be done independently. Reporter in authorizing the appointment, Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein gave former f. B. I. Director Robert Mueller entered powers to investigate any links and or coordination between the russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump as well as other matters that may arise directly from the investigation. Federal regulations give mueller daytoday independence over how to run it and whether charges should be brought. And if rosenstein were to try to block any of muellers actions, he would have to explain why to congress, which has several Committee Investigations of its own that may well take a back seat to the special counsel. Its going to be done by people who are in the business of conducting professional investigations and in the making political points. Reporter and you can be sure, says danforth, mueller will not tolerate leaks from team to the media. Jan crawford, cbs news, washington. Pelley Dean Reynolds has been talking to voters in trump country. Lee county, illinois. Reporter at bill and dicks barbershop in dixon, illinois, guy vol was getting a haircut and weighing the news of a special counsel investigating the Trump Campaign. Everybody is looking for something to dig at. Theyre looking. Its a witchhunt. Thats what he tweeted this morning. Reporter a lifelong republican, a trump supporter and an avid consumer of conservative media, vol blasted the president s critics. They keep saying the russians interfered in our elections. How did they interfere . I never hear that talked about on tv. Reporter dixon sits astride the rock river, where Ronald Reagan was once a lifeguard. Its the seat of lee county, which donald trump won by 20 percentage points. I like the way he recognized that there is a country out here. It consists from coast not coast and coast. Reporter around the corner at books on first, trump supporter steve uber said hes had with it the news media. I almost tune off the news anymore because its all about how hes behaving, not what hes really doing to help our country. Reporter but ken novak said the president seems too defensive, especially about russia. He tweets out that this is just a witchhunt. You know, why didnt he just come out and say, okay, lets investigate it and be done with it. Reporter how do you react to talk of impeachment already . I think hes probably going to be be impeached sooner or later, but the problem is that, you know, lets get to the facts first before we go that far. Reporter just about everyone we spoke to her agreed that the last few months have been a pretty bumpy ride for mr. Trump, scott, but as one local businessman put it, trump is in the a politician, and he doesnt operate like one. Continue the listen to the voters. Dean, thank you very much. Well, mr. Trump leaves tomorrow on a trip that the white house describes as an attempt to unite major religions against radical islam. He will visit all the faiths of abraham, islam in saudi arabia, judaism in israel, and christianity at the vatican. The senior white house official told us today that during the visit, the saudis and other muslim countries will pledge to cut off funding for terrorism. Then mr. Trump will be off to brussels for nato summit and sicily for the g7 economic summit. We asked Mark Phillips to tell us about the president s image overseas. I think that theres a sense of horrified fascination here in europe. Reporter fascination and fear. According to jonathan powell, who ran the british Prime Ministers Office during the tony blair years, and who knows about dealing with u. S. President s. When theyre preoccupied with political intrigue at home, he says, foreign leaders cant rely on them. If this is going to be the next two or three years, totally consumed with these issues in washington, unable to focus on international relations, that leaves a very serious vacuum. Reporter a vacuum theyre trying to avoid at nato, which President Trump will visit next week. Officials there are reportedly planning to put strict time limits on discussions about military spending and fighting terrorism so the president doesnt tune out. But if theres a sense of anxiety, theres a sense of humor regarding the president , too. Donald trump has long been the butt of jokes, now satire shows find the material irresistible. What was the official reason for the shocking dismissal of james comey. Because hes bad at his job. Hes so bad at his job that i am still the president. [laughter] reporter tv satire is one thing, but when Vladimir Putin starts dropping oneliners about about how the president gave Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov classified intelligence . Ill have to reprimand lavrov, putin joked this week, for not sharing those secrets with russian intelligence. Lavrov seemed the find it hilarious. Its how you tell em. What european leaders have historically wanted from u. S. President s is consistency and engagement. The fear being privately expressed by some officials here, scott, is that this president is embarking on his first foreign trip with his mind elsewhere. Pelley Mark Phillips in our london newsroom. Mark, thank you. Roger ailes, the architect of the fox news channel, died today. Doctors say he had a brain hemorrhage after falling last week. Ailes was 77. Anna werner has more on the man who was once called the loudest voice in the room. Reporter roger ailes went from a 27yearold tv introducer nixon to the American People in 1968. He helped elect Ronald Reagan and george h. W. Bush, too. By 1992, ailes had retired from politics and soured on the news media, as he told charlie rose then. If you want to have tremendous political influence and still be a womanizer, drug abuser or an alcoholic, you only have one choice of career, and thats journalism. Reporter but four years later, ailes would become founder and c. E. O. Of the news channel. Caution. Reporter with conservative comment traitors like bill oreilly, why did viewers watch . He told rose in 2001. They think perhaps points of view are being eliminated and some stories are being eliminated on other channels, and thats why were winning. Reporter h. W. Bush said ailes wasnt perfect by called him my friend. Fox host sean hannity called him a second father, but critic like dr. Jeffrey jones, director of journalisms peabody awards, said no one had done more harm to american democracy in the last generation. I mean, the s m very enthused. Reporter many believe fox news support for President Trump helped get him elected inch a 2014 autobiography, ailes is quoted in 2010 telling Facebook News executives, i want to elect the next president , but ailes reign would not make it to election day. Numerous women at fox news, including former anchor gretsching carlson, alleged he sexually harassed them. Facing a lawsuit, ailes resigned. Ailes wife said shes profoundly sad and heartbroken at her husbands passing, calling him a loving husband and father to their son and patriot, scott. Pelley anna werner, thank you. Coming up next on the cbs evening news, a man who says he heard voices runs down two dozen pedestrians in times square. Later, a family shares its grief after a deadly shooting. If you have moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis like me, and youre talking to your rheumatologist about a medication. This is humira. This is humira helping to relieve my pain. And protect my joints from further damage. Humira has been clinically studied for over 18 years. Humira works by targeting and helping to. Block a specific source. Of inflammation that contributes to ra symptoms. Its proven to help relieve pain and. Stop further joint damage in many adults. Humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, heart failure. Before treatment, get tested for tb. Tell your doctor if youve been to areas. Where certain fungal infections are common and if youve had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flulike symptoms or sores. Dont start humira if you have an infection. Talk to your doctor and visit humira. Com this is humira at work. Pelley at least one person was killed and nearly two don yorks times square. The n. Y. P. D. Quickly ruled out terrorism. Michelle miller is at the scene, but we want the caution you, this video is graphic. Reporter this Surveillance Video shows the moment the car plowed into a crowd, leaving a trail of bloodied and injured pedestrians on a sidewalk before it came to a crashing halt. Alyssa elsman, an 18yearold tourist from michigan, was killed. Ann donahey believes she would have been killed, too, if she hadnt crossed the street. Car knocks into the building. There are people screaming. Theres blood everywhere. Reporter around lunchtime, a speeding honda traveling southbound on 7th avenue made an abrunt uturn and dove against traffic, jumping the curve at 42nd street where the first pedestrian was struck. The car continued down the side walk for three and a half blocks, mowing down pedestrians along the way. It finally came to a stop after smashing into metal barriers. The driver, 26yearold richard rojas, ran from the car and tried to outrun police, before being tackled and taken into custody. Rojas, a former member of the navy, is being tested for drugs and alcohol. Police say he has two prior d. W. I. Arrests. Eyewitnesses tell us if not for those metal posts now underneath that car, there would have been many more injuries, even deaths, scott. They were erected shortly after terrorists overseas began using cars and trucks as weapons of mass destruction. Pelley but no indication of terrorism here. Michelle miller, thank you. Rock singer Chris Cornell hanged himself last night following a concert in detroit. Back home. Back home wont you come this was his performance last month saturday. With his band soundgarden, cornell rose from the seattle underground to become a titaniumthroated voice of his generation. Chris cornell was 52. When we come back, shots fired and a family cries out for justice. Stay with me, mr. Parker. When a critical patient is far from the hospital, the hospital must come to the patient. Stay with me, mr. Parker. The at t network is helping First Responders connect with medical teams in near real time. Stay with me, mr. Parker. Saving time when it matters most. Stay with me, mrs. Parker. Thats the power of and. 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